RV travel: Pros and Cons
By singout
@singout (980)
United States
January 18, 2011 8:27pm CST
My wife and I have been traveling around the country in our motor home for the past year and really enjoying it. But our problem is that we're trying to live a champaign life on a beer budget. First, we bought a 35 ft, 1998 Safari, Sahara on ebay last year and flew to Albequerque, NM from Roanoke, VA to pick it up. We drove it home although I had never driven anything bigger than a school bus before. Now THAT was a real experience. It would take a book to tell all. The Caterpillar 300 diesel pusher only had 42,000 miles on it and it had brand new tires on the coach all around. Although more than 10 years old, it is still in good shape and everything works well. However, some of the cabinetry inside is now showing signs of glue failure. We've been home in Roanoke for the past month to take care of some medical issues which have been plaguing me since we've been gone. We can't wait to get started again. The only thing that's been giving me pause to think is the fuel cost going so high, so I would list that as a con if your budget is limited. We also take a large dog with us everywhere we go and that sometimes limits us as to where we can stay. He's one of the family so we don't mind the occasional sacrifice.
Are there any RVers out there? Tell us some of your experiences. I will add more of mine if there is enough interest.
2 responses
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
6 Feb 11
I dream about one day owning a camper van. It would need enough space for four people and two dogs. When I was younger I used to think a roma home for two people would be large enough but not now I have my disabled son and baby daughter. You have done well to buy a rv and have traveled some of your home country. It is a shame that fuel costs are so high. I hope that you don't get anymore health problems. It must be a real experience to drive something as large as a rv. Good luck with your rv journeys.
@singout (980)
• United States
6 Feb 11
Thank you for your response maximax8. From what you have described to me it sounds like you would need a class C RV. I have a class A which is designed for 2 people plus a guest or two. Class C's are designed for families and will sleep more people. You can recognise them by the bed over the top of the cab. You are very right about the cost of fuel. It limits the distance we can travel. Right now we have about 3/4 tank and will top off tomorrow. I can travel about 850 miles on a tank of fuel. You have no idea what an experience it is to drive one of these big things. We bought ours in Albequerque, New Mexico and drove it home to
Virginia and I had never driven one before. It would take to long to tell you about all my experiences on that trip. Maybe I'll write a discussion about it one day.
@keeperdream (381)
• United States
24 Jan 11
i'd love to travel in RV! it would be kind of expensive, but it's a great way to see the country and i wouldn't have to pay for staying in a hotel.
@singout (980)
• United States
24 Jan 11
Thanks for your response keeperdream. We are not even close to being rich which is why we bought a good used motorhome. We also paid off the mortgage on our home, retired and took off on faith. We also rented out our home which helped to make the payments on the motorhome. There are ways to do it if you have enough courage. When you have no home mortgage or other utility bills to worry about it's not so bad.
